Electrical vaporizer



April 23, 1940. 1 ROBlNsO'N ELECTRICAL VAPQRIZER Original Filed Oct. 9, 1935 l 'III'. 'lll I! ATTORN EYS' Patente-d pr. 23, 1940 i- UNITED STATE ELECTRICAL vAPoRIzER Joseph Robinson, New York, N. Y.

.Application October 9, 1935, YSerial No. 44,236 f Renewed November 4, 1937 This `invention relates tov electrical `vaporizer of the portable hand type. Among the objects v are to improve and simplify this type of vaporizer and increase its dependable service in the handsV .5 of laity users. C enerallythe present invention is an limprovement on the construction shown in lmy .co--pending` applications lSerial #682,749 and Serial #32,438 respectively, led July 29, 19.33, and July 2,0, 1935, respectively. The imv provementsconsist, among other things, of a simplified switch arrangement in which one blade of the switch is lcompressed in assembling the parts so-that it tends constantly to hold itself in proper circuit Contact with the heating. element ,15, of the vaporizer. 'I'he switch blades are secured to a terminal member which rests on a shoulder formed onthe interior of the vaporizer base, the purpose of thisarrangement being to fix the vertical position of the -switch in the base so that 2 0 the compression referred to will be constant in amount. lThe terminals of `the resistant coil of the heating element, and the cooperating parts of this element, are secured in place by a hollow Lrivet which has'the advantage over a screw of eliminating a lock washer and of preventing any possibility ofl the connection between .this part and the resistance coilv becoming loose and hence inoperative.` VIn the Thermorock or porcelain base which ,carries the resistance coil a special ,39 groove .orwayis provided toprevent injury tol `the outer end of the ycoil andto guide'it in the assemblingv operation. This arrangementA assures betterassembly and hence a more dependable article,V and it also reduces losses from coil breakage in assembling. The means e:for anchoring the` assembled heating element in place on the vaporizer baseconsists of an aluminum cup which sets over theA heating unit and is spun or crimped over or around a shoulder provided for Ithe-pi-ir-pose on the vaporizer base. LThe f [design of the `parts is such that when the cup is set in place over the heating unit and on the lvaporizer base, the compression .blade of my improved switch is compressed ka substantial amount in .order to bring thelower edge of the cup below the shoulder on the vaporizer base over '-which it is turned or spun. When the parts ,are fully assembled they are therefore tiedrin place by the aluminum cupandits anchorage to .59 the vaporizer base. t

. Between the .bottom of the cup and the top `of the heating .element I provide a mica disc withoutiholes or vents. f The absence of openings in this disc prevents `any part,ror strand, of the, resistance coil1 working `up throughy the ,disc into short circuit contact with the bottom ofthe cup. When the aluminum cup is spunl or ,crimped over the shoulder on the vaporizer base it drawsan-annular lflat surface on the heating unit tightly down against the smooth .5 flat top of the vaporizer base. vThis engagement of the parts, and the contact between the aluminum cup and the shoulder over which it is spun, is such as to. prevent seepage of medicament up between the cupand the base into vcontact with .10

the heater. This prevention is important. Suchv seepage usually produces a short circuit or cause es the heater to burn out. If that does not occur, the medicament burns when it reaches the heater and this produces a vdisagreeable odor. further insure against this seepage I insert a ielt or other suitable packing vor sealing ring between the top of the vaporizer: base .and the ybottorn ci the heater. Means are also provided for conveniently standing the vaporizer in a glass tumbler .or other hollow object.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of my improvement;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the resist-.- ance coil support of my invention showing the special groove, and leadway, formed therein for the protection and direction of the end strand of thev coil; Q

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of the sealing ring .or packing that is interposed between the topof -the vaporizer base and the bottom of the coil support;

Figure 4 is a sectional plan View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of 35 a .part A.of the upper end ofthe base, a part of the sealing member, and a part of the lower 4end of the cup or container, showing particular-v ,ly .the method of attaching the cup to the base A.

It will be understood of course that my im- .i0 proved vaporizer may be made of any suitable materials. I preferably, however, form the elongated holl'owbase A of Bakelite, and the cap B ,of similar material or of glass. The base yisv provided through its lower endwith an opening to receive the usual `electric cord C,V The cord is knotted to .form an anchor to relieve the terminals yIi-.l of strains in service. The knot lies in .a 'chamber 8 the upper terminus of which consists of annular shoulder 9. On this shoul- .der .a block D rests, and to this block the spring blades .lll--ll .are secured, the shoulder Aserving to position the block and the blades' verti- .cally in the base A. The block is slotted on op.-t poste sides .as shown to snugly receive the lower ends of the switch blades and prevent angular displacement of the blades in the base. Stops I2-I4 are formed across' these slots to abut the lower end of the blades and prevent wrongassembly thereof on the block D. Leading upwardly from the annular shoulder 9 I provide a lug I5, formed integral with the base A, that closely receives a complimentarily at surface I6 on the block. vertically spaced screws I 'I secure the blades IIB-II, and the terminals B-- of the electric cord, to the block. The blade I0 is preferably made of spring brass and is curved, or otherwise shaped, to enable it to be deected or compressed when the parts are assembled. Its upper end extends over across the center of the base A and is cupped or perforated at I8 to form a seat for the lower end of the rivet or screw I9. Normally the center of this cupped or perforated portion lies slightly to the left or rightl A against entrance into the latter of medicament,

of the vertical center of the rivet. This arrangement causes the blade to be laterally compressed when the parts are assembled and this in turn keeps the'rivet under constant lateral contact with the blade in addition to the vertical contact against the bottom of the rivet due to the resiliency of the blade.

' The heating element, cr heater, E includes a suitable porcelain or Thermorock support having spiral or zigzag ways into which the resistance coil F is laid. The end 2| of the resistance wire is tightly anchored under the upper end of the rivet I9 and its other end 22 is passed down through an opening or groove 23 in a side of the support 2l) and is wound around a slight neck 24 on the lower side of the coil support which insulates this end of the coil from the rivet. A leadway formed in the llat surface of the support adjoining the neck 24 enables the wire to travel around the neck without jumping out of the groove 23 andwithout breaking on the sharp edge that otherwise would exist at this point in the groove if the leadway 25 were not present. A contact washer 26 sets over the neck 24 and engages the wire 22. An insulator 21, of micaor other insulating material, rests upon the Contact washer, and through it passes the lower end of the rivet to be turned over as shown, a metal Washer 28 being inserted between the mica and the rivet end to protect the mica when the rivet is tightened up. It will be understood, of course, that the switch blade I I, through the medium of the button 29, is pressed in against the contact washer 26 to close the circuit and light the heater E.

An elongated sleeve or container G, round in cross section and made of any suitable material 4such as aluminum, receives the heater E. One 'end of this member is turned back in itself to form an integral cup 30 having a wide flat thin 'vbottovm'and having a depth of approximately one- 'half toone-third the height of the sleeve or con- ',tainer G; This length for the member is desirable in that it provides a maximum area of heated heater'E I mount a non-perforated insulating disc, preferably made of mica, which retains the vresistance coil 2I in place and prevents any part yof the coil contacting the bottom of the cup. Between the flat annular bottom surface 3| of the heater and the at surface 32 at the top of the rbase A I mount a sealing Washer or gasket 33 ,"made of any suitable material, preferably of slightly pliable material or absorbent material.

'Ihe gasket as here shown passes down along the sides of the upper end of the base A for a short distance and fits snugly in the container F and abuts a shoulder 34. When the container G is set down over the heater E in assembling my invention, its lower edge 35 temporarily stops about even with the top of the shoulder 34. This is because the switch blade l0 is not yet compressed, and hence the heater has not-come to yseat on the top of the sealing washer 33.v Whenthe container is pressed in rmly to bring these parts into y proper engagement its lower edge 35 moves down to a position approximately even with the curved bottom side of the shoulder 34. Whilst held tightly in this position the lower edge 35 is crimped or spun in under or around the bottom 'of this shoulder drawing the several parts into tight engagement and effectively sealing the connection between the cup G and the top of the base moisture or other foreign substance. When A'thus assembled the cup orcontainer G locks the sev- ,eral parts permanently together. Thereupon the hollow cap B is set in place over the container G, its series of long vertical grooves orserrations 36 admitting air currents to the cup 30 on inhalation. These currents are heated as they pass along the outer hot surface of the container G, and are turned into the cup by the inward curve 3'! at the top of the grooves. There the air currents-pick up the hot vapors of the medicament being vaporc ized in the cup 30 and carry them 'up through the hollow nasal member 38 to the nasal passages of the user. i Ordinarily itis preferable toempty my improved vaporizer after each application, but occasionally it is desired to hold it vertical whilst the user answers the telephone etc. -For this purpose I provide a resilient band I-I which curves around and snugly grips the base A and demountably rests against a small shoulder 39 on the latter. A supporting member I of suitable length, `made of wood or any otherfdesired matelilil rial, is pressed tightly into the band H and is held l H. Obviously the cup 30 may if desired be made of glass and 'secured invplace by turning vthe top of the outer Vwall of the container G over it much as the bottom ofl the container is turned in around the shoulder at 35. i

What I claim is: Y

1. An electric vaporizer, comprising in comqll) -bination, an elongated hollow handle provided 'with a shoulder, switch means mountedvin said 'handle in predetermined relation to the top of the handle, said switchmeans including'a ver- M' 'tically disposed resilient blade the lower end of 65 which is firmly mountedin retaining means arranged in the bottom portion of said handle, `said retaining means including 'a' Ivertical bearing which positionsv the blade in said ,handle and by which the blade is locked against pivotal move- 7'0 ment in the handle', a heater above said'switch l'and in circuit therewith, said heater being mount- ^ed on a seat formed on' said handle above said switch, said seat servingv to position. the heater y.

"horizontally withrespect to said handle and ver'- 75 tically with respect to said blade, a one-piece container which includes a cup to contain the substance to be vaporized, said cup engaging said heater and said container being turned back on itself to form an extension which is spaced laterally-away from said cup, said extension tting snugly over the top of said handle and adapted to have its lower edge crimped' or spun in under said shoulder with a clamping action which draws said cup tightly against said heater and said heater tightly against its said seat on said handle whereby the top of said handle and said heater are sealingly enclosed liquid-tight so that any contents of the container which may spill over are prevented from entering said handle and coming in contact with the heater or said switch means, said cup serving to prevent upward movement of the heater with respect to said extension, and a nozzle mounted on said container for directing the vapors to the nasal passages, said nozzle being provided with a skirt which extends down over said container and which insulates against the heat from the container, said skirt being provided with an interior vertical groove opening toward said container and upwardly through which currents of air travel on inhala- 'tion and are heatedin the journey.

2. An electric vaporizer, comprising in combination, a hollow base provided with a shoulder, a cup mounted at the top of said base Ato contain the medicament to be Vaporized, a heater mounted on the base and engaging the bottom ofsaid cup, a sleeve anchored to said cup at its upper end and adapted to have its `lower end crimped or spun in under said shoulder to permanently lock said heater, said cup and said base in tight kas'- sembled relation one to the other, and means for sealing liquid tight the connectionfbetween said sleeve and said base, said means having engagement with said base and being adapted to be drawn tightly against the top of the base when said sleeve is crimped or spun in under said shoulder.

3. An electric vaporizer, comprising in combination, a hollow base provided with a' shoulder, a switch arranged in said base and xed against undesired vertical movement therein, a heater arranged adjacent to the top of said base and having a part adapted to engage a part of said switch, a cup for the medicament to be vaporized, and a sleeve anchored to said cup at one end and adapted to have its other end crimped or spun in around said shoulder to hold said heater and said switch in assembled relation with respect to each other and to said base.

4. An electric vaporizer, comprising in v,combination, a hollow base provided with a shoulder, a switch arranged in said base and fixed against undesired vertical movement therein, a heater a switch arranged in said base, means in the base for fixing the vertical position of the switch therein and for preventing undue rotary and angular movement of the switch in the base, a heater arranged adjacent to the top of said base and having a part adapted to engage a part of said switch, a cup for the medicament to be' vaporized, and a sleeve anchored to said cup at one end and adapted to have its other end crimped or spun in around said shoulder to lock. said heater, said base and said switch in predetermined assembled'relation with respect to each other.

6. An electric vaporizer, comprising in combination, a hollow base provided with a shoulden' a resilient switch comprising a pair of blades ,in on itself to form a cup for the medicament to be vaporizedthe outer vertical walls of said container being considerably longer` than the vertical walls of said cup and being extended down over the upper end of said base and being adapted to be crimped or spun over said shoulder on said base to positively lock said heater, said switch, and said base and said cup in assembled relation with a part of said switch under constant pressure, and a cap set over said container and said cup, said cap being provided with a plurality of vertically arranged serrations opening toward said container and along which air currents travel to said cup on inhalation and are heated in the journey.

'7. An electric'vaporizer, comprising in combination, a hollow base provided with a shoulder,

` a switch comprising a pair of blades arranged in e said base and iixed against undesired vertical and rotary movement therein, one of said blades having a seat in its upper end, a heater arranged at the ,top of said base, said heater'including a resistance coil and a vertically extending anchor member engaging an end of said coil and serving to clamp such end in place, said member having its lower end seated on said seat and being under constant pressure from the switch blade on which said seat is formed, a container comprising a single piece of metal, one end of which is turned in on itself to form a cup for the medicament to be vaporized, the outer vertical walls of` said container being laterally spaced with respect to said cup and extending downwardly toward said heater and over the upper end of said base and being adapted to be crimped or spun over said shoulder on Ithe base to lock said heater and said switch, said base and said cup in assembled relation, and a cap set over said container and said cup, said cap being provided with a venty opening toward said container and along which air currents travel on inhalation and are heated in the journey.

JOSEPH ROBINSON. 

